Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder can't overcome bad start - USA TODAY

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY

Updated

OKLAHOMA CITY â€" This time, the Oklahoma City Thunder did not recover fully from their somnambulant start, an 18-2 early first-quarter stumble at home to commence Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

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  By Mark D. Smith, US Presswire

  Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook shot 10-for-26 Thursday in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

By Mark D. Smith, US Presswire

Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook shot 10-for-26 Thursday in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

This time, the Miami Heat did not experience a (total) meltdown.

This time, in Thursday's Game 2 of the NBA Finals, superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade played more like, well, locked-and-loaded superstars.

• MORE: Heat even series on strength of Big 3

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Another redemption candidate, Thunder sixth man James Harden, did what he could to keep Oklahoma City from being blown across the plains like tumbleweed after his listless performance in Game 1. No matter: The resilient, scrutinized Heat eventually clamped down for a heart-thumping 100-96 victory to even the best-of-seven championship series.

Four times during the 2012 playoffs, the Thunder overcame double-digit deficits to win, including an 18-point hole against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.

The Thunder struck the Heat with a late-game lightning bolt with a furious rally but forward Kevin Durant - smothered and bumped by James -- missed a fall away 8-foot jumper that could have tied the game with seven seconds left.

For the second consecutive game, the Thunder oddly began the game as if mired in quicksand, allowing the Heat to quickly seize an 18-2 lead.

Unlike their first encounter when the Heat too often settled for jump shots, Miami opened up the floor with better spacing and aggressively attacked the basket with slashing drives. Wade slammed home a pair of dunks during the early burst; James barreled his way inside for unmolested layups.

"Guys, they're playing harder than us; there is no other way to explain it," Thunder coach Scott Brooks pleaded during a timeout.

By the end of the quarter, the Thunder struck back to shave the margin to 27-15 despite a dreadful shooting performance for the opening 12 minutes (5 for 20). James and Wade combined for 15 points. Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder's two best players, combined for five, shooting 2-for-10.

This time, there would be no successful second-half comeback as there was in Game 1 when Oklahoma City trailed by as many as 13 in the opening half. By halftime, Miami led 55-42. It wouldn't have been that close if Harden, the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, had not poured in 17 points off the bench. He scored five in the series' opener.

It was urgency time again for the Heat.

Earlier in the day, Thunder center Kendrick Perkins talked about how he believed a different Heat team would stroll into Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The big fella nailed it.

"No team wants to go down 0-2, so they will come out and compete harder,'' Perkins said.

"This game," predicted Durant after the shoot-around, "is going to be tough."

The precociously talented 23-year-old not only is the league's three-time scoring champion, it turns out he is darn smart.

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